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Custom Plastic Molding Pros and Cons

Custom plastic injection molding is favored by plastic parts manufacturers across the globe for good reason. There are all sorts of advantages to this molding method. It involves sending plastic materials into heated barrels where they are mixed and transferred to a mold cavity. This is where the final product forms its shape and hardens. This is not the only way to process plastic yet it has quickly become the most preferred method. Here’s a look at some of the benefits of custom plastic molding along with a few drawbacks.

The Utmost Efficiency

Custom plastic molding is incredibly fast. This is one of the major reasons why it has gained such popularity as a technology for long manufacturing runs. Though the exact speed of the process hinges on the nature of the mold, it usually takes between 15 and 30 seconds to progress between cycles.

It Creates High-strength Components

Those who need uber-strong parts use plastic injection molding. Custom plastic molding allows for the addition of fillers to components when processing occurs. These fillers decrease the density of the liquid plastic and bolster the strength of the final product.

It Keeps Labor Costs Low

Custom plastic molding is an automated process. Just about all the work is performed by robotics, computers and machines. Plastic injection molding equipment functions with a self-gating, automatic technology that allows for uninterrupted operations that require minimal oversight. A single person can control each of these processes.

The end result is reduced overhead expenses thanks to the dramatic decrease in labor and manufacturing costs. Post-production work is limited as the parts are highly precise, strong and finished upon generation.

A High Level of Accuracy

Custom plastic injection molding is incredibly precise. This process fabricates just about every type of plastic part. Though some design limitations exist, the molds are built so the final product is within 0.0005 inches of the intended result.

Remarkable Flexibility

The plastic injection molding process is quite flexible. The material type can be changed with ease. Even the color the plastic part is to be produced in can be altered without an abundance of time or effort. The extent of this process’s flexibility is nearly limitless regardless of the produced part’s specific size.

These injection molds are exposed to incredibly high pressures, allowing the molds to be pressed tighter than other molding methods. The use of computer aided manufacturing (CAM) and computer aided design (CAD) allows for even the smallest subtleties and most complex of designs to be flawlessly implemented in the part’s creation. It is even possible to experience egregiously tight tolerances of .001 or more.

A Smooth and Polished Look

This process generates parts that require little, if any, end finishing. Each part that emerges from the mold looks smooth and finished. As a result, it is unnecessary to employ additional laborers to refine the product’s visual appearance. If anything, some very minor touch-up work might be necessary. However, the vast majority of these parts are in perfect or near-perfect condition upon generation.

Though it certainly costs some money to create an initial mold, all sorts of plastic components can be created at little cost once the mold is built. Massive production runs that make use of plastic machining often cost upwards of one-quarter more than custom plastic injection molding. Some manufacturing experts report a large production run with plastic injection molding is 25 times less costly than plastic machining. It is clear that this method of producing plastic parts is well worth the initial investment.

Custom Plastic Injection Molding is as Resourceful as It Gets

Plastic injection molding is resourceful in that it does not use any more plastic than necessary to generate parts. Unused plastic is ground up and melted in order to be recycled. Furthermore, the part molds’ high tolerance minimizes waste in the manufacturing process.

Dexterity

Injection molding machines are designed to process several different plastics simultaneously. Compatible materials are often used in a single injection mold in which the core material is fully encapsulated. The advantages of this process range from enhanced strength to cost minimization and decreased energy use thanks to the secondary’s plastic’s lower melting point.

The Few Disadvantages of Custom Plastic Injection Molding

Custom plastic molding has a couple flaws of note. The process is fairly expensive at the outset. It can cost a thousand dollars or more to produce an initial mold. The machinery is also fairly expensive. However, once these start-up costs are surmounted, this process pays for itself and then some across posterity.

Additional cons include the fact that parts have to be designed in a nuanced manner for highly effective molding. In some instances, molding considerations can constrain the parts’ design.

About GreenLeaf:

GreenLeaf Industries is an ISO 9001 registered manufacturer that consistently adheres to all its standards to provide our clients with consistent, reliable, quality automotive and industrial plastic parts.

We are an American injection molding company, unafraid to compete in the world market and determined to succeed. Established in 1999, we take pride in our high-quality craftsmanship and superior customer service. Contact us to discuss whether your injection molding project may be a candidate for reshoring.